England Centre Back May Quit Manchester City In Search of Regular First-Team Football

Manchester City defender Joleon Lescott is seeking assurances about his long-term future at the club before deciding whether or not to sign a new deal at Eastlands, according to reports in the Daily Mail.

The experienced England international now has less than a year left on his current contract in the north west, however, the 30-year-old is said to be concerned about just how much game time he will get next season under new City head coach Manuel Pellegrini.

In the last campaign under previous City boss Roberto Mancini, the central defender lost his starting place at the heart of the then Premier League champions’ back four to new Serbian arrival Matija Nastasic, with Lescott ending up featuring in only 28 matches in all competitions for the club, including just the 21 contests in the top flight as City lost their grip on the title to arch-rivals Manchester United.

However with the new man in charge expected to add at least one more centre back to his playing squad before the summer transfer window slams shut for the year on Aug 31, Lescott could soon find himself even further away from regaining his first-team place come the kick-off to the new season.

And in a campaign that climaxes with the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil, that is a situation that the Englishman just cannot risk.